Three great plays at Brown/Trinity Playwrights Rep

The Brown/Trinity Playwrights Repertory Theatre has been providing us with great new plays over the past seven years, and their eighth season is no exception.

Under the able direction of Lowry Marshall, who this summer has a co-artistic director (Ken Prestininzi, promising young playwrights and actors come together to present topical, challenging plays, many of which have gone on to fame and fortune.

The season opened with Joe Zarrows’ funny, poignant and scathing look at the conflict between teachers and school administrators, “Principal Principle.” The title says it all, as four teachers converge in the high school teachers’ lounge, trying to maintain their sanity and their principles as they are pushed by the principal to meet nebulous standards and requirements. It centers around the raging battle of personalized teaching and meeting standardized test scores, pitting teacher against teacher. While there are some very funny moments, the serious conflicts over how we can best teach are kids come to the front, leaving us with much to ponder.

“Reunion” by Gregory S. Moss is a comedy/drama a la Sam Shepard about three men who return 20 years later for their high school reunion. The action takes place in a hotel room, where the three men slowly reveal secrets about their past relationships, all having selective memory issues.

“Timeshare” by Rachel Caris Love is the third play. The comedy is directed by Lowry Marshall. (I had not seen the play by deadline).

The plays will be presented in repertory on Saturday, Aug. 4, with “Principal Principle” at 1 p.m.; “Reunion” at 4 p.m.; and “Timeshare” at 8 p.m. You can also catch “Reunion on Thursday, Aug. 2 at 8 p.m. and “Principle Principal on Friday, Aug. 3 at 8 p.m. Lowry points out that the cost of these professional theatre productions are “less than the cost of a movie.”

Leeds Theatre is at 77 Waterman St., on Providence’s East Side. For reservations call 863-2838. Check them out online at www.brown.edu/btprep.